I'm Rich - 44
Chapter 44
Guan Zhiyi and Song Qiaofei left first. Liu Yun said a quick goodbye to everyone in the room and followed them out.
Guan Yuanbai patted Song Li on the shoulder. "I'll head out then. You handle the rest."
"Got it."
Song Li watched him leave, but when he turned back, he saw Qi Chengyan still standing there. His face immediately fell. "Brother, you go rest too. Don't worry, I'll definitely go apologize to Zhiyi properly later. I won't let her feel wronged!"
Qi Chengyan gave a cold snort and finally left.
Only after seeing off both big shots did Song Li breathe a sigh of relief. He turned to the people still in the room. "Not a single word about what happened today gets out. If I hear anything about this outside, none of you will have a job."
The staff in the dressing room nodded frantically.
Song Li: "Alright, everyone out."
The crowd filed out one by one, leaving only Ge Siying and her assistant.
Song Li glanced at Ge Siying, his expression dark. "You really know how to cause me trouble!"
Ge Siying now understood the gravity of the situation. "I, I didn't know who Guan Zhiyi was. Doesn't the internet say she's just an ordinary person…"
"You believe everything the internet says? The internet also says you're a once-in-a-millennium all-natural beauty. How much work you've had done, don't you know yourself?"
Ge Siying's face went pale, but she didn't dare lose her temper.
Usually when she acted spoiled and threw tantrums with Song Li, it was because he was willing to indulge her. But now that her actual benefactor was truly angry, how could she dare be willful?
"I really didn't do it on purpose…"
"Of all people to bully, you bullied Guan Zhiyi. I don't even dare touch someone the Guan family raised, and you went and cursed her out with every dirty word in the book?!" Song Li glared at her. "Damn it, now I have to clean up this mess for you."
"Song Li…"
"You're not coming to the banquet tonight. Go home." Song Li frowned. "And pack up your things while you're at it. Move out of my place."
Ge Siying froze, then immediately broke down. "I don't want to!"
Song Li: "Fine. Then the apartment's yours. I won't come by anymore. We're done."
"I don't want to break up! The apartment… I don't want the apartment either!"
Song Li glanced at her. "You really don't want it?"
Ge Siying saw the seriousness in his face and realized he truly meant to end things. Her firm words died in her throat. "I…"
Song Li watched her hesitate and sneered inwardly. "So you do want it. Fine. I'll have my assistant come find you tomorrow. Whatever you need to say, tell him."
With that, he walked out of the dressing room without a backward glance. This girlfriend who faked her feelings was nothing more than decoration to him anyway.
**
On the other side, a staff member brought over a new gown for Song Qiaofei to change into in the back room.
Guan Zhiyi sat on a chair outside waiting for her, Liu Yun was standing in front of her, clearly holding back words.
"Okay, I admit it. Guan Yuanbai really is my brother. I didn't say anything before because it has nothing to do with my acting, and besides, I've always been making my own way. My brother hasn't been managing my career, so…"
"So that's why President Qi always treats you differently?"
Guan Zhiyi paused, then nodded. "We've known each other for a very long time. We were neighbors too. That's why I said before that there's nothing going on between us."
Liu Yun swallowed hard, suddenly wishing she could get her brain acupuncture just to clear her head. "My god…"
Liu Yun didn't speak after that, falling silent for a long while. Guan Zhiyi saw her expression and assumed she was upset about being kept in the dark, so she added, "Yun-jie, don't be mad. I think this whole thing…"
"I think this whole thing is absolutely unbelievable?! You actually, you actually—" Liu Yun pointed at her for ages, unable to finish her sentence. She was so shocked her vocabulary had abandoned her completely.
Thinking back on everything, Liu Yun felt like a complete idiot. She'd actually thought Guan Zhiyi was just like her, someone who'd climbed up from the bottom with nothing. Oh right, she'd even frequently lectured her on how an actress with no background and no backing should conduct herself!
After all this time, the Cinderella she'd imagined turned out to be the daughter of the Guan family, one of the most prestigious families in the capital???
Damn. The only one who'd actually crawled up from the bottom this whole time was herself!
"Zhiyi, I'm changed." Song Qiaofei came out from the back room in a pink-white gown.
Guan Zhiyi stood up and went to meet her. "This one's beautiful!"
"Of course it is. It's way higher quality than my original gown…" Song Qiaofei looked at her. "Hey, thanks for today. You have no idea how scared I was. I was so worried Ge Siying would target you because of it. But it turns out you…"
Guan Zhiyi said sheepishly, "I didn't expect my brother to be here either."
"It's fine, it's fine. No wonder you barely ever mention your family."
"Yeah… When I first debuted, my family didn't approve of me entering this industry, so I've always lived on my own."
Song Qiaofei stroked her chin thoughtfully. "Wow, I'm seriously so lucky."
"Huh?"
"My best friend is actually a rich lady? Like, stupid rich??"
Guan Zhiyi: "…Stop it."
The two chatted and laughed for a while, and then the banquet outside began.
When Guan Zhiyi, Song Qiaofei, and Liu Yun walked out together, Qi Chengyan happened to be walking toward them.
He was wearing a dark suit today, tall with long legs, his build perfectly accentuated by the tailoring. As he walked over, even the celebrities who'd seen countless handsome men in the entertainment industry couldn't help but steal glances.
"President Qi." Once he was close, Liu Yun greeted him first.
Qi Chengyan gave a slight nod, then looked at Guan Zhiyi. "All taken care of?"
Guan Zhiyi: "Yeah."
Qi Chengyan nodded, saying to Liu Yun, "Song Li has matters regarding today's jewelry brand collaboration. Go talk to him about it."
Liu Yun's eyes lit up. "Sure."
After Liu Yun left, Song Qiaofei glanced between the two of them and quickly said, "I'll go chat with my friend over there too. Zhiyi, President Qi, I'll head over first."
Guan Zhiyi: "I'll come find you."
Song Qiaofei: "Okay."
Once both of them had left, Guan Zhiyi didn't know what to say to Qi Chengyan. She looked behind him and asked casually, "Where's my brother?"
"Talking to someone."
"Oh… and you?"
"Looking for you."
Guan Zhiyi looked at him in surprise. "What for…"
"Can't I look for you if there's no reason?" There was a faint smile in Qi Chengyan's voice. "What did you eat tonight?"
"Nothing."
Qi Chengyan: "Liu Yun not letting you eat again?"
"You can't eat at these kinds of events anyway." Guan Zhiyi's gaze suddenly stopped, landing on his tie. She hadn't noticed before, but now at this close distance, this tie… looked kind of familiar.
Qi Chengyan saw her staring intently at his collar and looked down too. "You noticed?"
Guan Zhiyi's head snapped up. "This is really…"
"The one you gave me." Qi Chengyan was completely casual about it, and as he spoke, he seemed about to pull it out to show her, tugging it free from inside his jacket.
"Put, put it back!" Guan Zhiyi hadn't expected him to actually wear the tie she'd given him for such a formal occasion. Sure, she thought it was cute, but if anyone else saw it, Qi Chengyan's image would be completely overturned.
Without another word, she reached out to stuff it back in. "Hurry, put it back!"
Qi Chengyan looked down at her flustered movements, the corner of his mouth curving slightly. "Didn't you say it suited me? Now you won't even let me take it out?"
Guan Zhiyi's ears had gone red. "I was just saying that. You actually believed me?"
"I've always believed everything you say."
Guan Zhiyi froze and looked up at him.
She'd always thought Qi Chengyan's eyes were incredibly beautiful, like a quiet lake in the dead of night. Seemingly calm and rippleless, but with undercurrents churning beneath. Sometimes when he looked at you quietly, you'd even feel the urge to jump right in, reckless and unthinking, wanting only to drown inside…
"What are you two doing over here? I could see you whispering from way over there." Just then, someone walked over from the side.
Guan Zhiyi snapped back to her senses and turned toward the speaker.
It was Xiao Ran, whom she hadn't seen in a while. Guan Zhiyi shook her head. "Nothing…"
Xiao Ran glanced at Qi Chengyan's tie, which still hadn't been fully tucked back in, and casually hooked it out with his finger. "What's going on with this tie?"
Guan Zhiyi: "Wait—"
Too late. Xiao Ran had already pulled the tie all the way out.
The tie dangled against his chest, and at the tip, a white rabbit lounged lazily.
"Pfft… What is this, a rabbit?" Xiao Ran looked at Qi Chengyan and mocked him without any restraint. "Oh my god, Qi Chengyan, your taste is way too unique. Hahahaha, how old are you?"
Qi Chengyan said calmly, "Doesn't it look good?"
"Does this look good?!"
Qi Chengyan smiled with satisfaction. "I think it looks great. Xiao Wu, what do you think?"
Guan Zhiyi shot Xiao Ran a glance. "Of… course it looks good."
Xiao Ran narrowed his eyes and studied it again. "Zhiyi, are you serious?"
Guan Zhiyi glared at him. "I bought it! Of course I think it looks good!"
"Oh, you bought it… wait, what? You bought it?"
Qi Chengyan smiled faintly and unhurriedly tucked the tie back in, seemingly offhandedly explaining, "She bought it specially for me as a gift when she went abroad. There's only one in the whole world."
Xiao Ran felt stabbed by Qi Chengyan's expression, his face full of hurt. "Zhiyi, that's too much. When you buy gifts, how could you not think of me? You couldn't have picked one up for me too?"
Guan Zhiyi paused. "Didn't you just say it was ugly? Why do you want one now? You flip-flop way too easily."
"That's different." Xiao Ran grinned. "You bought it, so of course it looks good no matter what."
Guan Zhiyi: "…"
Qi Chengyan's face went dark.
Xiao Ran acted like he didn't see it. "Oh right, Zhiyi, come with me. I just remembered there's something I need to tell you."
Guan Zhiyi happened to want to ask Xiao Ran what his deal had been lately, so she nodded and was about to head over. But before she could take a step, her wrist was caught.
She turned to look at Qi Chengyan, who had suddenly grabbed her. "Hmm?"
He had no real reason to keep her. It was just a momentary impulse, a reluctance to let her leave with Xiao Ran.
Xiao Ran glanced at Qi Chengyan and smiled. "Chengyan, you don't mind lending me your sister for a bit, right?"
Qi Chengyan looked at him and said nothing.
The two stared at each other, the atmosphere strange.
Guan Zhiyi was confused, looking from Xiao Ran to Qi Chengyan.
Xiao Ran withdrew his gaze from Qi Chengyan and smiled at her. "Let's go."
"Yeah." Guan Zhiyi pried Qi Chengyan's hand off. "I'll be going then."
Qi Chengyan: "…Xiao Wu."
"I have something to talk to him about." Guan Zhiyi seemed eager to leave with Xiao Ran, she didn't even wait for him to say anything else and followed after Xiao Ran.
One tall, one short, they quickly disappeared into the distance.
Qi Chengyan looked down at his empty palm. It felt like wire wrapped around his heart, cold and suffocating.
He thought hazily that he used to always win. No matter when, the girl would always cling to his side unconditionally, unwilling to leave him.
But now, he was starting to lose…
She no longer clung to him, no longer teased and laughed beside him. Others could draw her gaze away. Others could take her away.
That realization brought Qi Chengyan a sliver of pain.
And beneath that pain, he was forced to admit just how deeply he'd become addicted to having her by his side.
So addicted that he couldn't bear the thought of losing her.
---
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